Bins at residential sites, commercial sites and municipal public sites for household, municipal garden and public space rubbish and recyclables, are generally collected by trucks with an automated mechanism for lifting and emptying. A common type of bin is frequently referred to as a ‘wheelie bin’. However, trucks can also collect other types of bins, also having a bin lid hingedly attached to a body of the bin.
The mechanism includes an arm which lifts and upturns the bin such that the lid of the bin falls open and the contents of the bin fall into the rubbish container of the truck. When the bin has been emptied into the truck, the mechanism is controlled to return the bin upright and replace it on the ground, and then release the bin.
Often when the emptied bin is returned to the ground, the lid will remain in the open position. This can be undesirable for a number of reasons. For example, the bin will collect water if it is raining. Also, if the lid remains open, unwanted odours within the bin might be more noticeable.
In addition, if the bin is not fully emptied, vermin and pests, such as birds, mice, rats, insects etc. can be attracted to the rubbish, with the potential to spread disease or spread the rubbish from the bin around the local environment.
Further, when the bin is full or partially filled, it is often desirable to keep the lid closed to prevent the contents of the bin being accessed and/or strewn outside and about the bin by birds or vermin, or being carried about by wind.
Furthermore, bins at windy sites, such as coastal or valley sites, or between buildings, tend to be blown open, particularly if the bin lid is not fully closed (often due to the bin being overfilled and the lid ‘propped’ open by the pile of rubbish above the top edge of the body of the bin).
Devices exist which, when engaged with the bin, prevent the lid from being fully opened. An example of such a device is often known as a ‘wheelie bin stand.’ Typically, such devices, commonly used for bins located in public spaces, secure the bin and restrict ability to open the lid. These devices prevent the lid from being opened past a certain point, such that there is typically no more than about a 10 to 20 cm gap through which to deposit articles into the bin. Such devices therefore limit what may be put into the bin, since the size of some articles will be too great to fit through the gap. These types of devices are therefore unsuitable if the bin is intended to receive relatively larger articles or if it desired to have the ability to fully open the lid.
Other devices exist which attach to a front of the bin and lid, effectively clipping or clamping the lid in a closed position. If it is desired to open the lid or allow the lid to be opened, such devices must first be unclipped from the bin. This can be both inconvenient and impractical since the device needs to be unclipped prior to the bin being put out for collection. It is possible to not only forget to unclip the device, but once unclipped from the bin, it is then possible to misplace or lose the device.
The present invention relates to a device for use on this type of bin which seeks to address these issues by closing the lid after emptying and generally maintaining the lid in a closed position unless it is intended for the lid to be opened.